Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 25) – Metro Manila mayors are looking to tap schools as temporary isolation facilities as the capital’s quarantine facilities for COVID-19 cases are now 69% occupied.

During a Palace briefing on Thursday, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Benhur Abalos said he approached Department of Education Secretary Leonor Briones for the possible use of schools in the capital region as temporary isolation facilities.

“Sumulat kami requesting for the schools of each LGUs baka maging temporary facilities,” he said, adding that the Education secretary agreed to this.

“Napakalaking bagay dahil makakatipid tayo,” Abalos added.

[Translation: We wrote a letter requesting for the schools of each LGUs to be temporary facilities. It’s a huge thing because we can save money.]

According to Abalos, Briones agreed on the conditions that chosen sites must meet standards set by the Inter-Agency Task Force and must be separated from those intended for vaccination activities.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in the same briefing that, as of March 24, Metro Manila’s temporary treatment and monitoring facilities are already 69% occupied, reaching the high occupancy level.

As of Tuesday, Abalos said the region’s total cases were 216,755, of which 21, 231 were active cases.

Abalos said Metro Manila mayors have been ramping up their testing and tracing efforts to contain the surge. A total of 169 areas in Metro Manila cities also imposed granular lockdowns.

On Thursday, the Department of Health said the country logged 8,773 new cases, bringing the total to 693,048 with 14.4% or 99,891 active cases.

READ: PH breaks all-time high COVID-19 record with 8,773 new cases